Oil-supply-controlling apparatus for liquid-fuel burners



July 24, 1928. I 1,677,978

` 'G. H. MESSER OIL SUPPLY CONTROLLING APPARATUS FOR L'IQUID FUEL'BURNERS Filed April 6, 1926 I 4 ShOGtS-Shee'b l 2 .l -V 43 JY 54 4f l ATTORNEYS July 24, 192s. 1,617,978

G. H. MESSER OIL SUPPLY CONTROLLING APPARATUS FOR LIQUID FUEL BURNERS Filed Apm e, 1926 4 sheets-sneer 2 INVENTOR Lagaf/JMW? M ATTORN EYS Julyf2`4, 192s.

G. H. MESSER OIL SUPPLY CONTROLLING APPARATUS FOR LIQUID FUEL BURNERS Filed April 6, 192s 4 Shlve'etsPSheet 3 INVENTOR v ATTORNEYS.

July- 24, 192s. y 1,677,978

G. H. MESSER oIL SUPPLY CONTROLLING APPARATUS FOR LIQuI-D FUEL BUNERS Filed April 6, 1926 4 Sheets-Shee'fl 4 ATTORNEYS',

Patented .uly 24, 192gu sr'rS PATENT ori-*ica GEORGE E. MESSER, ENEWARK, NEW JERSEY.

Oni-SUPPL'Y-CONTROLLING APPARATUS FOR LIQUID-FUEL BURNER-S.

appueaaon mea april c, 1926. semina. 100,199.

rfhis invent-ion relates in general to apparatus for supplying oil from a main supply tank to a point where the oil is to be utilized,

and more particularly the invention consists in providing apparatus for controlling the supply of fuel oil from a .main supply tank to a liquid fuel burner.

@ne object of the invention is to provideV for controlling the supply of oil from a main tank which may be either above or below the level of the liquid fuel burner, and which in either case will prevent iooding of the burner by the oil. p

Other objects are to provide in such apparatus two series-of pumps, one for controlv ling the supply of oil from the main tank `to the auxiliary tank'or reservoir and the other for pumping the oil from the auxiliary reservoir'to the fuel burner, in combination with valve means controlled by the level of the oil in the auxiliary tank for controlling the supply of oil from the main tank, so that Hooding of the fuel burner isprevented and a substantially uniform supply of oil ensured; to provide a pum construction which is adustable to vary tllfe supply of oil to thev fuel urner independently of theflow of oil from the main tank; to provide a novel v and improved pump construction and combination thereof with the auxiliary tank or reservoir whereby the various pumping units may be interchangeably used and easily Vand quickly replaced; to provide novel and imapparatusof the character describe which Ais simple andinexpensive in construction and the parts of which are` easily accessible for adjustment or repair and which occupies a smallamount of space, and to obtain other Oresults adadvantages as lmay brought out of the following description.

Referring to the accompanying drawings,I

rovide v in which corresponding and like parts are designated throughout the several views by the same reference characters,

Figure l is a top planview of apparatus embodying the invention with the cover plateremoved;

Figure 2 .is a longitudinal vertical sectionsl-view taken on the line 2 2 of Figure Figure 3 is a fragmentary side elevation .of the apparatus;

Figures 4 and 5 are transverse vertical sectional views, taken on the lines 4-4 and 5 5, respectively, of Figure 1;I

Figure 6is a transverse vertical sectional view, taken on the line 6-6 of Figure 2;

Figure 7 is a fragmentary sectional viewV through one 0f. the pumping units and a portion of the auxiliary tank, and

Figure 8 is a transverse vertical sectional view, taken on the line of Figure 7.

Specificall describing tlhe'illustrated embodiment. o character A desi or'reservoir whic comprises two compartments l'and 2 disposed in superposed relathe invention, the reference l`tion anddi'vided by a horizontal wall 3.

The upper compartment 2 is preferably removably mounted uponl the lower compartment 1 in any suitable manner, as by means of-screws. 4.- Tlie fuel oil is supplied to the lower compartment l from the main supply tank (not shown) by a pipe 5, and saidl main supplyv tank ma be disposed above or below the level'of t e auxiliary tank A, for instance in the'wall of the building or embedded below the floor. The pipe 5 is ,connected to a' valve casing 6 in which is ates the auxiliary tank provided an upwardly facing valve seat 7 with which cooperates a ball 'check Valve 8 which normally seats toprevent flow of the fuel oil through the pipe 5. A. assage 9 leads from the valve seat 7 throng the casing into the lower compartment 1 so that when the valve 8 is unseated the fuel oil may flow into the compartment 1. The end of the passa 9 opposite the valve 8 is provided with a v ve seat 10 with which cooperates a Valve .11 actuated by a float 12 mounted at one end of alever 13 pivotally mounted intermediate its ends as at'14- upon the casin 6 and connected at its other -en'd to the va ve 151. When a predetermined high level of fuel oil obtains in the compartment 1' the Valve 11 is o ened, andA said valve is closed byv falling o Vthe float 12 when a predetermined low level of fuel oil is reached. The valve 11 carries a push rod 15 for unseating the valve 8 simultaneously with the closing of the valve 11.

Below the normal high level of the oil in the compartment 1, pipes 16 are connected` to the valve casing 6 and communicate with the passage 9 intermediate its ends, said pipes being also connected to the inlets of the respective pumping units 17 mounted site the inlet check valves 21 are arranged outlet check valves 24, and pipes 25 lead from the outlets of the passages 19 into the upper portion 'of the up'per compartment 2, as clearly 'shown in Figures 1 and 4, The pumping units 18 are secured to the outer sides of the upper compartment 2 4by cap screws 26 and the cylinders 22 are inserted.

through openings 27 lin the walls of the said compartment, so that the inner ends of the and interchanged.

cylinders are within the compartment; and gaskets 28 are preferably interposed between the blocks 18 and the walls ofthe compartment 2. With this construction, it will be obvious that movement vrof the pistons 23 in one direction will serve to draw oil through the inlets 20 into the passages 19, while movement of the pistons in the other direction will force the oil through the outlets 25 into the upper compartment 2. The cylinders and pistons 22 and 23 are thus sealed by the oil within the compartment 2, and accordingly all necessity for the usual packing of pistons is eliminated. The pumping units are extremely simple in construction and are identical with each other, and therefore can be easily and quickly applied to and removed from the apparatus The istons 23 are mfluenced outwardly of the cyllnders by helical compression springs 29 and are forced inwardly of the cylinders by actuating mechanism about to be described. vIt will be noted that the units 17 are arranged opposite each other in spaced vrelation with their .istons in substantially axial alinement, an an inverted U-shaped rocker 30 is mounted upon a shaft 314with one of its arms arranged to engage the end of the corresponding piston 23. An eccentric or cam 32 is ona shaft 33 journaled in bearings 34 in the compartment 2 and disposed substantially equidistantly between the pumping units 17, said cam being arranged between an`d frictionally engaging the arms of the rocker 30, as clearly shown in Figures 2 and 4- Obviously, rotation of the shaft causes'correspondingrotation of the cam 32 which-due to its engagement with the arms of the rocker A3() will oscillate the latter about the shaft 31 to alternately `force the pistons 23 inwardly of their respective cylinders and permit the pistons to be moved outwardly of their cyhnders by l the springs 29. The shaft 33 may be driven in any suitable fmanner, but preferably by a worm wheel 35 meshing with a worin 36 fast on a shaft 37 journaled in bearings 38 and disposed at substantially right angles to the shaft 33.- The shaft 37 may be connected to any suitable source of power such as an electric motor (not shown) The level of the oil in the upper compartment 2 is maintained at a uniform level above the pump cylinders, the cam 32 andthe worm 35 by means of an overiiow pipe 39 through which the oil returns to the lower compartment 1. Accordingly, the pumping units are sealed and lubricated by the oil, and similarly the cams 32 and worm gearing 35 and 36 together with' the bearings 34 and 38 are also lubricated.

Another .pumping unit 40 which is identical with the units 17 is secured -to one side of the upper 'compartment 2 and has` its inlet connected .by a pipe 41 to the lower unit is operated by a second rocker 44 mounted on the shaft 31 and oscillated by a cam 45 fast on the shaft 33, so `'that the oil is pumped from the lower compartment 1 to the fuel burner. The supply of oil to the fuel burner may be regulated by varying the stroke of the pum ing unit 40, and this may be accomplished by a suitable slide 46 adjustable by a bolt and slot connection 47 with the bottom of the upper compartment 2 to limit movement of the rocker 44 under the influence of the piston spring of the pumping unit, whereby the outward movement of the piston is limited and consequently the stroke thereof in both directions. It will be clear that the smaller the movement of the piston. in each direction the smaller will be the supply of oil tothe fuel burner. This pumping unit 4() is oil sealed inthe same manner as are the pumping units `17. The 4ends of the pipes 25 o ening into the upper compartment are pre erably approxi- 'oil as it is discharged from said pipes is description. As indicated, the oil from the main tank iows through the pipe tothe valve casing 6. In the initial operation of the apparatus, the lower campartment 1 will preferably be-lled with oil tothe maximum high level and the compartment 2will be lil ed to the level of the. upper end yof the overflow pipe 39. The pumps are actuated f. by the motorl (not shown), cams'32 and 45 and the respective rockers and 44, and the oil is pumped from the lower compartment 1 through the inlet passage 9 -by the pumping units 17 into the'upper compartment 2. vThe f oil overliows downwardly into the lower compartmentl lfrom where it is pum ed by the pumping unit 40 to 'the fuel `urner. Should the level of oil in the compartment 1 'reach a predetermined low limit, the. float 12 will close the valve 11 and open the' valve 8A by the rod 15, whereupon the oil will flow by action of gravity through the i 5 if the main tank is above the level ofptlig compartment 1, or will be pumped from the main tank by the pumping units 17 if the tank is below the level of the compartment 1. This action will continue until suicient oil has overlowed from the compartment 2 into the compartment 1 to raise the level of containing the oil which is directly pumped lno -the oil in the lower compartment to its pre.-

determined high level when the valve 8 will be closed and the valve 11 opened. 'It will be understood from' the foregoing that the oil is ltaken from the lower compartment 1 or directly` from the supply pipe ,according to the level ofthe'oilin the reservoir; The

level of the connection v42 of the pumping unit 40 to the lower `com artment is preferabl above the level of tl evalve 11'so ythat sai valve will beoil 'sealed and revent air from entering the pipes 16 an vpumping yunits 17 in suchga vmanner as to 'interfer'e with the operation thereof. v

With this construction the movingv parts of the apparatus arefe ,ectively lubricatcd- .and the pumpingelements oil sealed 'by the` lP oil being pumped. The movingl elements are in a separate compartment from that to the fuel burner. Furthermore, all parts are easily accessible, and the-superposed relation of the two compartments provides a] compact device whichmay occupy a small area of ioor space.

While I have shown and described the' invention as embodying certain details of construction, it will be understood that this is primarily for the purpose of illustrating l the princi les of the invention and that many. mo iications and changes may be made in the details of construction by those skilled in the art without departing from the spiritand scope of the invention. Therefore, I do not desire to be understood as A comprising a reservoir lfor oil, a pump including an un acked cylinder and piston arranged in sai reservoir so that said cylinder and piston are sealed by the oil in said reservoir, said pump having an inlet to be connectedto an oil supply and an outlet discharging into said reservoir, a second pump includin an unpacked cylinder and iston arrange in said reservoir and sealed y the oil therein, said second pum having an inlet connected to said reservoir lbr withdrawin for delivering said oilto a desired point.

2. Apparatus of4 the character described comprisin a reservoir for oil having an inlet, a chec valve arranged in said inlet and normally closed to prevent flow of oil into said reservoir,.a Hoat in saidreservoir, means actuated by said float' to o en said valve the oil therefrom and an outletwhen a predeterminedl low evel of oil ob- A low limit, said valve being automatically closed Vwhen-said lowlevel obtains, and a pump havingan inlet connected to the inlet of said reservoir between said valves so that while theA oil remains above'saidpredeterion mined low level the pump withdraws the4 oil from said reservoir while when the oil 1s at said low level the pump withdraws oil `di'rectl from said inlet.

3. VT e apparatus set forth in claim 2 in ical which the secondmentioned valve is ar-` ranged below said predetermined low level so 'that said valve is sealed by said oil in v the reservoir. v

4. Apparatusof Vthe character 4 described comprising a reservoir for oil having two compartments, an inletK for one of said comartments, a check valve arrangedl in said inlet and normally closed to prevent flow of oil intotsaid compartment, a ioat in said compartment, means actuated by said floatv to o n said. valve when a predetermined low Vevel of oil btains in. said compartment, a' second valve in said inlet actuated by said float and normally open while the level of oil remains above said low limit, said'valve being automatically closed when said lowV level obtains, a pump arrangedv in the other of said compartments, sald ump havi an inlet connected to said'i `et of the tmentioned compartment between saidwalves `and an outlet communicating with the Second compartment, an overflow pipe/ for the second compartment communicating with the first mentioned compartment tov maintain the oil in the second compartment at a uniform level above said piston and cylinder of said pump so that the latter are oil sealed, and a second pump 1n the second v compartment and sealed by the oil therein,

'said second pump having an inlet connected to the first mentioned compartment to withdraw oil therefrom and an outlet to deliver said oil to a desired point.

5. Apparatus of the character described comprislng a reservoir for oil having an inlet to be connected to an oil supply, a float 5 in said reservoir, a valve in said inlet actuated bj said float and open While the level of oil remains above a' predetermined low level, said valve being automatically closed when said low level obtains, and a pump having an inlet connected to the inlet of said reservoir between said valve and the oil suppl)7 and an outlet connected to said reservo1r, so that while the oil remains above t said predetermined low level the pump withdraws the oil and returns it to said reservoir in a circuit, while when the oil is at said low level the pump draws oil directly from the oil supply into said reservoir.

GEORGE n. MESSER. 

